Betty Matear
Encyclopedia
Born Elizabeth Matear in Scotland, Betty Matear went to the Salvation Army
’s International Training College where she met her husband John. They married in 1978 and had one son, John.
For the first ten years of her service as a Salvation Army officer
, Betty, together with her husband, served as a corps officer at Godalming
, Reading
, Hove
and Chester-le-Street
. In 1987 the Matears moved to Yorkshire
where they served as Divisional Youth Secretaries and, from 1990 to 1994, as Church Growth Consultants. In 1994 Betty became the Divisional Director for Personnel at the Yorkshire Salvation Army headquarters, followed by a move in 1997 to the Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters serving in the Personnel department.
From 1999 to 2001 Betty Matear served as the Divisional Director of Women’s Ministries for the East Midlands, based in Nottingham
. Promoted to the rank of Colonel the Matears moved to Kingston, Jamaica
in 2001, where Betty was appointed the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries for the Caribbean
. While serving in Jamaica Betty and John Matear were promoted to the rank of Commissioner, and in 2006 the now Commissioner Betty Matear was appointed as Territorial President of Women’s Ministries in the United Kingdom, based in London.
In April 2007 Commissioner Betty Matear became the first Salvationist to become Moderator of the Free Churches Group in the UK, a position in which she served until 13th April 2011, when she was succeeded by the Rev Michael Heaney.
Betty Matear is also a published author and has appeared on Radio 4’s
Prayer for the Day programme .
During her time as Moderator of the Free Churches Group, Betty Matear attended the Remembrance Day services at the Cenotaph
in Central London. She was also on the guest list of the Royal Wedding
.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
’s International Training College where she met her husband John. They married in 1978 and had one son, John.
For the first ten years of her service as a Salvation Army officer
Officer in The Salvation Army
An Officer in The Salvation Army is a Salvationist who is in essence a minister of the Christian faith, but who fulfills many other roles not usually fulfilled by clergy of other denominations...
, Betty, together with her husband, served as a corps officer at Godalming
Godalming
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, south of Guildford. It is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement with the towns of Joigny in France...
, Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
and Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
. In 1987 the Matears moved to Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
where they served as Divisional Youth Secretaries and, from 1990 to 1994, as Church Growth Consultants. In 1994 Betty became the Divisional Director for Personnel at the Yorkshire Salvation Army headquarters, followed by a move in 1997 to the Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters serving in the Personnel department.
From 1999 to 2001 Betty Matear served as the Divisional Director of Women’s Ministries for the East Midlands, based in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. Promoted to the rank of Colonel the Matears moved to Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
in 2001, where Betty was appointed the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries for the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. While serving in Jamaica Betty and John Matear were promoted to the rank of Commissioner, and in 2006 the now Commissioner Betty Matear was appointed as Territorial President of Women’s Ministries in the United Kingdom, based in London.
In April 2007 Commissioner Betty Matear became the first Salvationist to become Moderator of the Free Churches Group in the UK, a position in which she served until 13th April 2011, when she was succeeded by the Rev Michael Heaney.
Betty Matear is also a published author and has appeared on Radio 4’s
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Prayer for the Day programme .
During her time as Moderator of the Free Churches Group, Betty Matear attended the Remembrance Day services at the Cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in Central London. She was also on the guest list of the Royal Wedding
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their...
.